Goosewing Broad Axe

Goosewing Broad Axes are named for their unique axehead; it resembles a goose in flight. The goosewing axe was brought to Pennsylvania by German settlers and were the earliest hewing axes used in this country. The hewing axe was already fully developed in Germany and was used to square up logs.

Blacksmiths in Pennsylvania made a few improvements to the axe. By making the weight center closer to the hands, it became easier to use. It had a canted socket so you no longer needed a bent or offset wood handle. The main disadvantage to this axe was (with it’s offset socket) you needed two axes; both a right and a left (the pictured axe is a Left-Handed Goosewing Axe).

By the 1830’s the more symmetrical broad axes replaced the goosewing axes.

Axes and hatchets are hand-forged and heat-treated out of 4140 or O1 Tool Steel.

4140 cold finished annealed is a chromium-molybdenun alloy steel that can be oil hardened to relatively high hardenability. The chromium content provides good hardness penetration & the molybdenum imparts uniformity of hardness and high strength.

O1 Tool Steel is the original oil-hardening, “non-shrinking” tool steel that can be hardened to the Rockwell C 65 range from a low austenitizing temperature. O1 is a general-purpose tool steel that is typically used in applications where alloy steels cannot provide sufficient hardness, strength, and wear resistance.

Size: 9 x 13 blade

Handle Length: 13” inches

Price: $650.00

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